A Rose for the Circus
by LyonessaStark
Summary: He married so he could have a mother for his children. She married because she needed a husband. Their marriage was intended to be a marriage of convenience. But maybe, just maybe, there is a hope for love after all.
1. Chapter 1

_** The rose of a noble English family, the ringmaster of a circus.**_

_**Bound by marriage, **_

_**they must forge a future for themselves.**_

I have seen very few TGS crossover ships, and I quite like these two together, so I wrote this. Margaery's appearance is that of Hailee Steinfield, as Margaery is the age she is in the book, but her personality is that of the tv show. Pt Barnum is Hugh Jackman, of course, and all other characters are their respective actors and actresses.

I've aged up Caroline and Helen, as in order for Caroline to wear pointe shoes, she would have to be at least 12 years old, even though Caroline is stated to be 11 and Helen 9 years old. So at the time of the movie, Caroline is 12, the Jenny Lind tour takes a year, so she is 13 by the end of the movie, and Helen is 10, and at the end is 11.

At the time of the story, as it takes place two years after the movie, Caroline is 15, and Helen is 13.

* * *

She is just a child, he thinks. Margaery Tyrell is no more then five-and-ten, and he is five-and-thirty. His darling Charity died two years ago. Why should he need to marry again? Yet here he is, standing at the altar for the second time in his life.

She comes up to his shoulder, clad in a white dress embroidered all over with silver roses, and bits of Honiton lace. Her hair, brown as his own, is pulled up at the crown and cascades down her back. He can hear the pastor reciting the vows and he responds when he should, and he can hear her voice, which is soft as a rose. When the pastor recites the vows, he responds when he should, and when they are prounced man and wife, he leans forward and kisses her lightly, then pulls away. Then she turns and throws her bouquet-roses too,  
into the group of girls behind her. Little Caroline catches it, and runs to hug him, and smiles at her new mother.

They make an odd pair, Pt Barnum, the king of humbugs, and Margaery Tyrell, the Tyrell rose. She offers him her hand, he takes it, and they walk down the aisle.

Afterwards comes the wedding reception, where they stand together, barely talking to each other as the guests tell them what a lovely couple they make. Phineas can only smile and nod.

Margaery's grandmother, Olenna Tyrell, comes up to them and says "You make such a lovely couple. Your children will be beautiful, just like my dearest grandaughter.''

Margaery smiles, and tells her grandmama thank you, and Phineas kisses her grandmama's hand.

The last two people to come up to Phineas and Margaery are Phillip and Anne Carlyle, and Phillip congratulates him on his new marriage. Then Phillip turns to Margaery, kisses her hand, and says ''If you ever need help with him, just ask me. He can be a bit too boisterous sometimes.''

She laughs, and answers "Thank you, Mr Carlyle. I hope I can meet your children sometime soon.'' Then she turns to Anne, and compliments her on her dress. She treats her like an equal, and after Phillip and Anne walk off, Phineas asks her if that was for show or not.

"Grandmama taught me to treat all people with respect no matter their skin tone. The Martells, a family we used to know, they were from Persia and Muslim, and many were prejudiced against them.'' She answers. "Besides, Mrs Carlyle seems nice. Do you think she will tell me how she and Phillip met?''

Phineas smiles and nods. "I think she will if you ask her.'' When the reception is over, he heads to his bedroom after kissing Helen and Caroline good-night, finding Margaery already there. Her wedding dress is on the floor, and her hair is loose.

"You don't like corsets?'' he questions, as he closes the door, and she shakes her head.

"Grandmama said they were unreasonable. And besides, in Ireland, where we had Highgarden, our summer home, there was no need to wear them.''

Phineas nods, and begins to take off his overcoat and unbuttons his vest, glancing at Margaery, who has begun to undo her stockings.

"You are a virgin, aren't you?''

She glances at him, and nods her head. 'My fiancee, Renly Baratheon, he died before we were to be married. You needn't feel sorry for me. It was a marriage of political convenience, as he was attempting to run for a place in Parliament.''

"And now you've been rushed into another marriage of convenience.'' Phineas remarks, taking off his shoes and trousers, but leaving his shirt and drawers on, and Margaery hesistantly reaches for the strap of her chemise.

"No. Leave it.'' Phineas tells Margaery, understanding that she is but a child, a young girl. She nods in relief, walks over to the bed, and sits down. He comes over, and sits down next to her.

"This-it will hurt.'' He tells her. She nods.

''Yes. Grandmama said so.''

Phineas wonders, did her grandmother teach her everything? Tell her what to expect from her new husband? Tell her what to expect from society now that she is married? She gets up, draws back the covers, and slides inside, waiting expectantly.

Phineas hesitates, and then he slides on top of her, and draws up the hem of her chemise. He positions himself between her legs, she shuts her eyes, and he thrusts.

It hurts, Margaery thinks, and she winces at the pain, but then again, he had said it would. He thrusts again and again, and she can feel blood running out and coating her thighs.

"Are you alright?'' he asks, with concern on his face, and she nods.

"Yes.''

He sighs in relief, and thrusts one more time, spilling into her, and then pulls out, and collapses beside her, and falls asleep.

She reaches down, touching the blood and seed on her thighs, and mixes them, after all, her duty to her husband is to bear his child. Then she turns on her side, and falls asleep.

**XxX**

The next morning, she wakes up, and slides out of bed. She can see spots of blood on the covers (see, Cersei Baratheon, I am a virgin) and picks up her discarded wedding dress.

Her husband lies still asleep, and there is a photo on the dresser of a blonde-haired young woman whom Margaery knows to have been his first wife.

She drapes the dress over a chair, and selects a light green-colored linen day dress, with a soft rose pattern and elbow sleeves with buttoned cuffs. There is blood on the edge of her chemise, and she changes it for a new chemise of soft lawn, and slides the dress over her head, buttoning up the front. Her husband starts to stir, and Margaery folds up her wedding dress, then puts it back on the chair.

"Good morning" is the first thing Phineas hears when he wakes up, and he thinks that Margaery's voice is not just a rose, it's an English rose.

''Did you sleep well?'' she asks, and he nods, running a hand through his messy hair.

"Did you?'' he asks, and she shrugs her delicate shoulders, and he notices she is dressed already. It's a green color that suits the color of her hair and eyes, with a floral pattern that he thinks is roses, and her hair, wavy from sleep, falls around her shoulders. He slides out of bed, and pulls on his trousers, and she picks up a hair ribbon, the color of a newly blossomed rose, and pulls her hair back loosely.

"Find something to busy yourself with today.'' Phineas tells Margaery, and she looks at him, almost puzzled. "I'll be at the circus.'' He explains, and the puzzlement is gone from her face.

'What of the children?'' Margaery asks. "Do they not go to school?''

'Yes, they do. And Caroline has her ballet practice.'' Phineas adds, and Margaery smiles.

"I should like to see her dancing. I have a friend, Daenerys Tageryen. The great prima ballerina who's dancing in the Paris Opera House currently.'

Phineas stares at her for a bit, and she nods in confirmation. "Caroline would be so happy to know that. You must tell her about your friend, Daenerys. I can promise you, she will ask you so many questions you will not be able to answer them all.''

Margaery smiles at the thought, and Phineas thinks, perhaps they can be friends, not lovers, for now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sansa is Sophie Turner's version from the show, and her marriage to Tyrion was much happier, as her parents are still alive and not murdered. Also, Caroline is portrayed by Jenna Coleman, and Helen is portrayed by Mia W****asikowska.**

* * *

Her husband leaves, and so do her stepdaughters, and Margaery is left alone in the house, wondering what to do. She does not wish to stay idle in her new house all day, after all. She reaches for her shawl and bonnet, and starts to put them on, intending to go out, but hears a knock at the door.

So she goes to open it, and it is her dear friend, Sansa Lannister, married to Cersei Baratheon's brother Tyrion, a kind, gentle dwarf of a man. Marriage becomes dear Sansa, as there is a rosy glow on her cheeks, and a lovely smile on her lips. She is clad in her favorite shade of blue, a sort of bluish-gray, this one a striped silk with pagoda sleeves over white undersleeves and a full, crinolined skirt. The sides of her hair, the shade of leaves in autumn, is swept back from her face in a delicate chignon and then the rest falls down her back in delicate ringlets, and there is a silver wolf head pendant on a silver chain around her neck that Margaery has not seen there before.

''It's from Tyrion.'' she says, smiling when Margaery asks. Margaery laughs, and hugs Sansa in delight, gesturing for her to come in.

"What a lovely place.'' Sansa says, looking around. It is true, the Barnum house is large and spacious. Margaery gestures for Sansa to sit down on a chair, and sits down next to her. "So, tell me, how is your new husband, Margaery?''

"So far, he seems quite nice. He is better then Joffrey Baratheon, for sure.'' Margaery says, and Sansa winces. She had been engaged to Joffrey Baratheon for a time, but her father had broken it off after seeing what Joffrey was truly like, and Sansa had married his uncle Tyrion.

''Your husband-was he good to you on the wedding night?'' Sansa asks curiously.

''He was gentle and good. Better then I could have imagined.'' Margaery replies. Sansa smiles, and leans forward confidentially.

''After the first night, pleasure comes. Perhaps your new husband can teach you things in the bedroom.'' she confides. Margaery smiles at her friend, and then asks her how her brothers are doing. Robb has found himself a lovely fiancee in the person of Myrcella Baratheon, which Margaery imagines will enrage her mother Cersei, Jon has returned to the family estate of Winterfell in Norway to take care of it, and Bran and Rickon are a constant source of laughter.

**XxX**

When Pt Barnum returns home, he finds his wife chatting with a girl he has never seen before, who she introduces as her friend Sansa Lannister. Phineas smiles, and kisses Mrs Lannister's hand, she smiles engagingly, and bids good-bye to Margaery with a kiss on the cheek. Then she leaves, and Phineas turns to his wife.

''Sansa's an old friend of mine. From boarding school.'' she tells him. ''She came by to see how I was doing.''

When Caroline and Helen return home, the family has dinner, and Margaery tells Caroline about her friend Daenerys, who taught herself to dance ballet, and is now dancing Giselle in the Paris Opera House.

She knows it was right to tell Caroline, for Caroline indeed asks her so many questions that Margaery cannot answer them all. But she promises Caroline that she will take her to meet Daenerys someday, and Caroline hugs her in delight.

When she and Phineas are undressing for bed, she says "You were right to tell Caroline. The smile on her face was beautiful.''

''Caroline's my daughter. I know what she likes to talk about.'' Phineas replies, not unkindly, and almost proudly. Margaery tugs her stockings down, as she always does, and Phineas comes over and gives her a kiss on the forehead. He pulls away, and goes to the bed, and Margaery follows. "Could you tell me about your first wife?''

"Well, you do know what her name was, don't you?'' he asks. Margaery nods, and he sighs in relief, then continues. "She was my childhood sweetheart, and when she returned from boarding school, we were married. We used to be friends as children, as my father, a tailor, made clothes for her father.''

"A tailor?'' Margaery questions. "Don't tell me you make your own clothes?'' Phineas glances at his young wife, and nods in confirmation. Her eyes widen in astonishment, and she bursts into laughter. ''I've never met a man who can sew his own clothes.'' she confides, and Phineas smiles at her. She is a friendly little thing, really, and Helen and Caroline seem to like her, and treat her as an older sister. She has a lovely smile, too, so perhaps all they need is time.

"Should we-'' she asks, and he shakes his head.

''Not tonight, Margaery.''

She nods, and slips under the covers, and he follows, both falling asleep. The next few days pass without any happenings, and then one day, Margaery asks if she can watch a rehearsal for the circus. Phineas is surprised, but he agrees.

That day, he takes her to watch a rehearsal, and she stays with Caroline and Helen, to watch the show, admiring all the hard work and love and care her husband and the circus performers put into it. ''It's a fine thing.'' she tells him afterwards, hands twisting at her green skirt as he wipes the sweat from his brow and takes his ringmaster's hat off. ''I can see why you could never leave it; it's your life's work.''

''You're intelligent for a girl of five and ten,'' he responds, and she smiles, saying that she received it from her grandmother. After the show, there is a letter delivered to Margaery, and she smiles as she reads it, saying ''We'll be there.''

''What is it?''

''It's my friend Sansa Lannister; you remember her, don't you?'' she does not wait for an answer, but continues, "She's invited us to a ball at her estate, Casterly Rock.'' Margaery says in delight, and then she groans in annoyance.

Phineas has to laugh at that, and asks what's wrong.

''It's a Lannister ball. Cersei Baratheon, Sansa's sister in law, will be there. I'd love to poison her!'' she exclaims.

''Well, that would be the scandal of the year since Phillip Carlyle joined my circus.'' Phineas jokes, but sees Margaery's annoyed face, and stops.

''Cersei practically humiliated me at last year's Season, saying I should marry her son, who's an absolute beast, and called me an ugly ducking and a whore! A **whore**!'' Margaery pauses and continues, ''Do you know, they say that Cersei slept with her own brother. Disgraceful!''

Phineas tugs his jacket off, and kicks off his shoes, while Margaery complains about Cersei Baratheon all the while, pulling pins from her hair and letting it cascade down her back, then unlaces the bodice of her evening gown, a green tarlatan embroidered with teal and gold, and a gold frosted tulle bodice. It's very pretty on her, and Phineas suspects she chose it to set off his ringmaster costume.

He starts to tell her they will not do it tonight, as he takes off his vest, but she interrupts with ''We ought to. We must get used to the idea of each other in the bedroom, sleeping together. I must get used to it.'' The one thing that he is glad about is that it will no longer hurt Margaery, young as she is, anymore.

Many a time when he sees Margaery with Caroline and Helen over the past two days, or even today, he thinks of Charity, and he knows she would want him to be happy.

Margaery is still not wearing a corset, but this time she pulls off her shift, exposing smooth, creamy skin to her husband of one week's gaze. She glances at him, and is not just a young girl, but once more the frightened young bride of their wedding night. He comes towards her, and tugs down her lacy drawers. ''Do you like it?' she asks, referring to her chest. "I know my bosom is too small, but-'' he cuts her off with a "I think you're very beautiful.'' He scoops her up in his arms easily; she weighs as much as a feather, and he can see now she's no need of a corset to keep her waist small, as it is quite small.

Then he places her on the bed, and climbs on top of her. She stares at him, and he bends his head down to kiss her, unbuttoning his trousers. Their kiss tonight is deeper, and he softly kisses down her neck to in between her breasts. She is right -they are small- but otherwise perfectly formed, and he nudges her thighs open a bit more.

She reaches out her hand, and touches him, and he hardens at her touch instantly. Then he slides inside her and fills her, and she tentatively wraps a leg around him, to press him further into her. When he is done, he pulls out of her, and she slides out of bed to grab her shift and tug it over her head. Margaery then slides back into bed, bids Phineas good-night, and they fall asleep.

**XxX**

They are woken by Caroline the next morning, who apparently has come into the bedroom to wake them up, and read Sansa's letter. ''Isn't it exciting, Father? A ball! Can we go?'' she asks in delight.

Margaery gets out of bed, and puts on a green wrapper. ''Well, Caroline, if your father allows it-''

''Of course I do. It's time I introduced Caroline into society properly.'' Phineas turns his head to Margaery, and says, ''And you did say you wanted to go.''

Margaery smiles, and tells Caroline ''Yes, Caroline, we are going.'' Caroline laughs in delight, and hugs her father and stepmother.

''Oh, thank you, thank you! I must go tell Helen at once!'' and she runs out the door. Caroline has never been more delighted in her life! She is to attend a ball, and make her entrance into society at five-and-ten, thanks to her new stepmother. She likes her stepmother. Margaery is pretty, and so elegant and graceful. And Caroline hopes dearly that one day she can meet her stepmother's friend Daenerys Targaryen, the ballerina.

Helen is already dressed when Caroline comes in, wearing a red-and-beige checkered dress with loose sleeves over white cotton undersleeves, and a crinolined skirt. She is buttoning up the front, and Caroline can see the oh-so-slight bosom forming beneath her chemise, as she is not yet ready for a corset.

''You're becoming such a pretty young woman, sister.'' Caroline tells Helen, and Helen looks up at her and smiles.

''You too. Now come and I'll help you get dressed.'' Helen says, like she is the older sister and Caroline the younger, but Caroline does not mind. Caroline comes and pulls off her long sleeved nightgown, tugging on a lawn shift, and linen stockings with ribbon garters tied just above her knee. Then she wraps the corset about her torso, fastens it in front, and Helen laces the back, pulling it tightly.

Then Caroline chooses her day dress, a pale blue linen with a thin pattern of white stripes and sleeves ruched tight at top and puffed out at the bottom, and Helen helps her into the crinoline.

As they have done for the past two years, they brush and fix each other's hair this Sunday morning, knowing they must not be late for church.

Caroline brushes Helen's golden hair into a braided chignon, and Helen ties on a lace bonnet, while Caroline's chestnut hair is pulled back in braids tied with a pale blue bow and rolled under itself, pinned securely.

There. Now they are ready for church. Their father greets them when they leave their room, and they hurry through a breakfast of oatmeal, and Margaery comes out soon, wearing a mint green lawn gown with sloping shoulder line and long, three-quarter sleeves with eyelet lace cuffs and panels on the bell-shaped skirt. Her brunette locks are pulled back in a braided knot, and she wears no bonnet. Caroline, however, grabs a pale pink one, and Margaery wraps a shawl about her shoulders.

And it is off to church they go.


	3. Chapter 3

**.Each of the families in Westeros come from a country that suits their region in the Seven Kingdoms. The Martells are from Persia, the Tyrells are from England but have Irish roots, the Starks come from Norway, the Lannisters and Baratheons are American, and the Greyjoys are Greek, as are the Targaryens.**

* * *

Phineas helps Margaery, Caroline, and Helen into their carriage before climbing up himself, and the coachman drives off to the church. As soon as they step out of the carriage, Phillip and Anne come to greet them. Their children, Annette and Edward, are beside them. Well, little Annette is. Edward, just a babe, is in Anne's arm, and Margaery coos over it, telling Anne how beautiful her son is.

''When he's old enough, he'll look like his father.'' Phineas says, and Phillip smiles proudly. Margaery spots her grandmama just then, and heads over to greet her, and they hug.

''So, tell me, my dear granddaughter, how is your new husband treating you?'' Olenna Tyrell questions, eyes alight with a smile.

''Oh, he's very kind to me, grandmama. Much nicer then Joffrey.'' Margaery says truthfully, and her grandmama answers ''It was good, then, that I betrothed you to him. He's a fine man, obviously, much better then that mean-spirited bastard Joffrey Baratheon.''

''Yes, he is, grandmama.''

''And how did he treat you on your wedding night, may I ask?'' Margaery blushes at that, and says that her husband was good and gentle to her. Olenna Tyrell nods, and whispers, ''How often have you slept with him?''

Margaery blushes harder, cheeks turning a dark shade of pink. ''Once. After the marriage night, that is.''

''Well, if you intend to give your husband a son, you'll have to try harder.''

''We've only been married a week.'' Margaery says, before bidding her grandmother good-day and returning to her husband's side, as they step into the church. They sit next to Phillip and Anne and their children in the pew, and Margaery's lawn and eyelet lace-trimmed skirts brush against Phineas's trousers as she sits. Phineas turns slightly at the brush of contact, and his eyes meet his wife's own brown ones. He smiles at her, and turns to listen to the priest reciting the sermon. After a few days of seeing Margaery's face beside him in the bed, it has grown easier to imagine what their children will look like.

Brown-haired, most likely, and brown eyed as well. Of course, her mother Alerie Tyrell is a blonde, so there is a chance that their children could have blonde hair.

Caroline and Helen sit like proper young ladies during the sermon, and they rise with friends and family to sing hymns. After the church service is over, they step outside, and their father invites Philip and Anne to dinner. Phillip nods, saying he would be delighted, and then their stepmother's eyes light up and she hurries over to a red-haired young woman about her age, and pulls her over to meet her stepdaughters.

''Caroline, Helen, this is Sansa Lannister. Sansa, my stepdaughters, Caroline and Helen.'' Caroline and Helen curtsey, and Sansa smiles, her smile not unlike their new mother's.

''There's no need for formality. I'm delighted to meet you.'' she says.

''We're delighted to meet you too.'' Caroline replies.

''When I lived in King's Landing,'' Sansa continues, ''I had no friends at all. My sister Arya's been away at boarding school in hopes of being a proper lady, as she's quite the opposite. Margaery was my first friend there. Of course, now that I'm married to Tyrion, and the lady of the Lannister's estate Casterly Rock, it's easier to make friends. I suppose it's because I don't have Cersei Baratheon looking over my shoulder the entire time.'' she says in a friendly manner, one Caroline can tell is not faked.

''Where are you from?'' Helen asks, a bit more bolder then Caroline.

''I'm from Norway. I was born there in my family's estate of Winterfell.'' Sansa answers.

''Oh, so the Starks are Norwegian?'' Helen asks curiously. She has never met someone from Norway.

Sansa nods. ''Yes, they are. The Lannisters, I believe, hail from the New World, although I would imagine they have English roots. And your stepmother's family, the Tyrells, are from England, but they have Irish roots and a summer home there.'' she answers, and Phineas comes to tell his daughters that it's time to go.

''Good day, Lady Lannister.'' he tells Sansa, and kisses her hand.

Sansa nods, and greets him, and introduces them all, except Margaery, to her husband Tyrion, a witty dwarf of a man who comes to his wife's knees. Then Sansa asks Margaery hopefully, ''You will be coming to the ball?''

''Yes, of course my husband and I will. And Caroline will, too. My husband says it's time for her to make her society debut.'' Margaery assures her. ''Not even Cersei Baratheon could stop me from coming.'' They embrace, and bid each other good day.

**XxX**

''You have some very nice friends.'' Phineas tells Margaery, and she smiles as they climb in the carriage.

''I cannot wait to see the ball!'' Caroline exclaims in joy, and her stepmother promises her she will look like Cinderella; every man will notice her.

The carriage drives back to the house, and the family climbs out of it, and the girls hurry inside to dress for dinner. Caroline is first to reach her room, and Helen follows.

''Philip and Anne are wonderful!" Helen exclaims. ''I'm so glad we're having them over for dinner.'' Caroline smiles, and reaches inside the wardrobe and selects a white muslin gown with insertion at the hem over a blue silk skirt and tight-fitted sleeves that sit low on the shoulders for her sister. Then she selects an apple-green silk dress with darker green velvet bows at the neckline and a full flounced skirt edged in darker green ribbon for herself.

''Yes, and their children are lovely.'' she then remarks. ''Annette's going to be as beautiful as her mother someday.''

Caroline and Helen help each other dress once more, lacing up the backs of their gowns, and fixing their hair nicely. The white muslin over blue silk sets off Helen's blond hair and contrasts with her brown eyes, while Caroline's apple-green silk dinner-dress suits her brown hair and blue eyes beautifully.

Phillip and Anne arrive right on time, and with little Annette, dressed in a charming lilac dress with a white sash tied into a white bow on back, her dark hair wavy. Helen is right; Annette does look like her mother. Anne herself wears a gown of emerald-green taffeta with a v-shaped neckline edged in ruching, hair swept up.

''Look at Caroline and Helen, Pt! Your girls shall be lovely young ladies soon, if they are not already.'' Phillip exclaims, hugging Caroline and Helen.

Their father replies, ''Well, Caroline's old enough to be introduced into society, so she will be at the Lannister ball that we've been invited to.''

''Congratulations, Caroline!'' Phillip says, and Caroline smiles in delight. Finally, Margaery comes down, wearing a blue satin with short sleeves of puffed lace and a low square neck, her hazel-brown hair drawn back in soft curls. It is understated, yet lovely.

Helen exclaims,''Stepmama!''and Margaery is taken aback by the unfamiliar greeting, but she smiles, understanding that Helen, a girl of three and ten, cannot call her mama, so stepmama will have to do.

''Hello, Helen, Caroline, husband.'' she greets, adding a friendly nod to Phillip, Anne, and Annette and Edward. She is not yet ready to call her husband by his name in public. Phineas smiles at her, and they heads into the dining room, where they can take their seats, except for Caroline and Helen, who have done the cooking before getting dressed. Caroline hurries into the kitchen, and carries the plates of food out and sets them on the table, and Helen comes out after her.

''Caroline, Helen, everything looks so good!" Anne exclaims, and they smiles proudly. They glance at their father, and he gestures for them to sit down. The food is served, and Phillip tells them all about Andrew's latest adventure, which involves banging on the piano in the middle of the night and waking them all up by singing along with it wordlessly.

Margaery laughs, a charming sound, and tells Phillip that that is the funniest thing she has ever heard.

Phineas nods in agreement, and Edward cries in protest. ''Now, Eddie, don't cry.'' Phillip lightly scolds the baby. Edward cries again, as if to say, ''Father, my name is Edward!''

''I cannot wait for him to say his first words.'' says Anne, gazing down on her baby with a face full of love. ''Maybe it'll be circus.'' Phineas teases, and Phillip playfully slaps him on the shoulder. ''Pt!''

''Oh, father.'' Helen laughs, biting into a piece of chicken. ''Do shut up and eat your food.''

''Helen is right, father.'' Caroline agrees. ''You've been talking with Phillip and Anne so much, that you've barely touched your food.''

Phineas apologizes, ''I'm sorry, daughters'', glancing down at his untouched plate, and helps himself to some mashed potatoes.

''You're both such wonderful cooks.'' Margaery says to Caroline and Helen, and they thank her. ''You must teach me how to cook. I'm from a wealthy family, so I'm afraid I never learned.'' She adds afterward.

Caroline smiles, and says she will teach her. After the dinner finishes, and the dishes have been cleared away, they all go into the parlor, where Caroline and Helen sit down at the piano and play a duet. ''How beautiful.'' Margaery tells her stepdaughters when they have finished, and Phineas claps. When Phillip and Anne decide to leave, Phineas and Margaery bid them good-bye at the door, and then, after bidding Caroline and Helen good-night, they retire to their bedroom.

**XxX**

''They are very nice.'' Margaery says, and Phineas comes and unlaces her dress, like he used to do with Charity. ''Oh, thank you, husband.''

''Margaery,'' Phineas says, the name foreign on his tongue, ''Please call me Phineas.'' Margaery stares at him for a moment, and finally nods.

''Very well, Phineas.'' his name sounds rather nice when she speaks it, he thinks. And he's reminded of Charity saying it, years ago.

He swallows, and says, ''Do you have any family besides your parents and grandmother?''

Margaery instantly thinks of her brothers, and says, ''There are my brothers. Loras, the only one who came with us to New York, and the other two, Garlan, who's married to Lady Leonette and stayed behind to take care of Highgarden and Willas, who's crippled from a fall from his horse.''

''Oh, I'm sorry.''

''Well, you needn't be. Willas is recovering.'' Margaery assures him. Phineas nods in relief. That is good to know. Margaery starts to take off her petticoat, while Phineas deftly undoes her garters and pulls down her linen stockings while she's at it, and it earns him an almost reproachful look from his wife. Margaery looks like Caroline and Helen when she is mad, and it's quite amusing.

''What, surely a husband is allowed to take off his wife's stockings?'' he asks in mirth, and Margaery, still with that reproachful look on her face, simply answers, ''Not while she's removing her petticoat!''

Phineas laughs at that, and scoops her up in his arms despite her protests, and places her on the bed, she clad still in her chemise and drawers. He tugs his vest off, and his trousers, and climbs on top of her, while she pushes him away, in spite of herself.

''Stop that!'' she exclaims, but he only laughs. Margaery pushes and teases, while Phineas laughs and attempts to kiss her, until Caroline yells, not in a very ladylike way, from the room she shares with Helen, ''Father, Stepmama, do quiet down! How do you expect me and Helen to sleep?''

Phineas and Margaery stop at that, and Phineas remarks, ''Never, never did I ever wake up my daughters or prevent them from sleeping when I was married to their mother.'' That only causes them to laugh more, until finally they settle down. Phineas holds Margaery close to his chest, and kisses the top of her head, bidding her good-night, and she wishes him good-night as well.

The ball is on Wednesday, and Margaery takes Caroline to the dressmaker's so they can have their ballgowns ready in time, while Helen helps her father out at the circus.

Margaery wears a deep blue-green linen with teal stripes and pagoda sleeves, while Caroline wears a frock of cinnamon-colored muslin with a tight bodice and lace bonnet, with a pale blue shawl patterned in lilac flowers draped around her shoulders.

The dressmaker is a kind, middle-aged woman who's very efficient, named Ninetta Pansy, which Caroline thinks is a charming name.

''So, you fine young ladies are going to a ball? How wonderful.'' her accent is that of a Danish; at least Caroline thinks she's Danish.

''Yes.'' Margaery replies. ''And we're looking to have new ball-gowns made. Can you help us, Ma'am?''

''I'd be delighted!'' Ms Pansy exclaims. She bustles around, calls for her assistants, and begins holding up some lovely silks and taffetas and satins. ''Go ahead. See which ones you like.'' she says, after the two girls are measured.

And that's what Margaery and Caroline do, holding up fabrics and envisioning their gowns. Margaery is particularly drawn to an apple-green watered silk, which she thinks would look pretty with layered white and green silk flounces cascading down the skirt, and her mother gave her an emerald-encrusted hair comb as a wedding-present. That would go very nicely with it.

Caroline is rather undecisive, and Margaery notes, seems to be torn between a primrose-colored silk and a delicate pale blue mousseline de soie, both of which would look well on her. Finally she turns to Margaery and asks, ''Which one?"

''The mousseline de soie is very delicate and light, and the primrose silk suits your eyes. I say-the mousseline.'' Margaery tells Caroline, delighted she can help her, and Caroline nods in agreement, holding up the light blue mousseline de soie against her lithe young body. ''We've made our choices, Ms Pansy.'' Margaery calls out, and pays the dressmaker. ''We'd like the ball-gowns to be finished early Wednesday morning.'' she adds before they leave.

''Thank you, stepmama.'' Caroline tells Margaery after they leave, and holds up the lace parasol she had brought with her, for the sun has grown quite warm. ''Tell me'', she says after a while, ''How did you meet your friend Sansa?''

''It was when she was engaged to Joffrey Baratheon. My parents, grandmama, my brother Loras and I went to Casterly Rock for a visit, and we became friends. There was talk of me marrying Joffrey for a time after Sansa married his uncle Tyrion, but grandmama found out that your father was 'looking for a wife' as she put it, and had us betrothed.'' Margaery explains.

''Did you ever meet Sansa's family?'' Caroline asks curiously.

Margaery nods. ''I met her parents, Eddard and Catelyn Stark. Very nice, honest people. She has one sister, Arya, which she mentioned yesterday at church, and four brothers.''

Caroline gasps and exclaims, ''Good gracious! Four brothers?''

Margaery shrugs elegantly. ''I myself have three brothers. Hers are Robb, Jon, Bran, and Rickon. I met them all at Sansa's wedding. Then they returned to Winterfell, their family estate in Norway.''

''Tell me, what were they like?''

''Well, Robb's a nice fellow, engaged to Sansa's niece Myrcella, Joffrey's sister. Now, Jon, he's a very solitary person. Like a wolf. He's engaged to my friend Daenerys Targaryen, and Bran and Rickon are merely children.'' Margaery replies to Caroline's curious inquiries.

''How interesting!'' says Caroline. She wonders what it would be like to have brothers. She wishes she knew, as she only has Helen for a sibling. Of course, Philip Carlyle is like an older brother and an uncle both to her and Helen, but he is not related to them by blood.

But,oh, how she wishes she had a brother!

* * *

**Sorry this took so long to post. I made this chapter rather long.**


	4. Chapter 4

Margaery and Caroline return from their trip, to find the man of the house and his younger daughter not there just yet.

''Well, I suppose we've the house all for ourselves, Caroline.'' Margaery remarks, and Caroline giggles in mirth.

''When Helen and I were younger, we made such a mess of this place! Oh, how Father did scold us, but it was all fun and games.''

''The wallpaper in the bedroom I share with your father looks a bit odd.'' Margaery mentions. The pattern it holds is not one of stripes or flowers. Rather it's more strawberries and music notes, alternating neatly.

''Oh, yes! When Father bought this house, he and Mother and Helen and I all painted the walls. it was an excuse to spend time together. Father hasn't done things like that in a long time.'' Caroline continues, remembering well those sad days when Father had just sat in his room after Mother's death, one half of the time, and the other half focusing on his circus so he wouldn't cry. But all the same, he did.

She unties her bonnet and hangs it on the rack, along with her shawl. Caroline is fond of shawls. She thinks they make one look elegant, and that is why she wears them. In that one respect, she supposes she is like her father. She wants to make a name for herself. She will be Caroline Barnum, the ballerina. That is how she wants it.

''Do you like reading?'' Margaery cuts in. Caroline smiles and nods. ''In my spare time, yes. Father encourages it greatly.''

''Do you have a favorite book?'' Margaery asks, going and sitting down in the parlor.

''Yes, I do. Dickens' stories are far too bleak, except for Nicholas Nickleby, Oliver Twists, and A Christmas Carol, but I enjoy Elizabeth Gaskell's Wives and Daughters.'' Caroline confides.

''You like Elizabeth Gaskell?'' Margaery perks up. ''I adore North and South! I do think your father reminds me of Mr Thornton.'' she says, and Caroline laughs as she sits across from her stepmother.

''Does he? How charming!'' she leans forward, clasping her hands in her lap. ''I have read the novel, but I do believe that if am American writer had wrote it, Margaret would have been from the state of Virginia, perhaps, and Mr Thornton might have been from our own New York!''

Margaery explodes into a torrent of giggles. ''I never thought of that. Loras prefers to fence, and Garlan to ride, but Willas has developed a love of reading due to him having a broken leg. I used to read to him while he was bedridden.''

''How very sweet.'' Caroline smiles. It is the sort of thing she would do if Helen became sick and had to stay in bed.

Their conversation lasts for a few more minutes, before Phineas finally returns home, exhausted after a long rehearsal, Helen by his side.

''Philip will be doing the show tonight. How did the shopping go?''

''Wonderfully, Father.'' Caroline gets up and kisses her father on the cheek, and embraces her sister. ''Stepmama chose this lovely apple-green silk, and I'll be in pale blue mousseline de soie-that's silk tulle in French.'' Caroline exclaims in excitement, and her father smiles.

''Lovely. You'll both be lovely. Now go upstairs, girls.'' he ushers his girls to the stairs, and kisses them on the forehead. Then he takes Margaery by the hand and leads her upstairs to their room.

''You like green so much.'' Phineas comments, closing the door.

Margaery shrugs. ''Tyrell colors were green and gold, back in the medieval era. We still wear those colors. Besides, green suits my hair and coloring.''

''Does it now?'' Phineas smiles. She is right; she does look very fetching in green. Green suits Caroline too. ''Should I wear my ringmaster coat?'' he asks teasingly.

''No!'' Margaery exclaims in mock horror. ''I should think not!'' She takes a pillow from the bed and throws it at him. 'So don't you dare do so!''

Phineas picks up the pillow and tosses it onto the bed. ''Very well, then, Your Majesty.'' he says, bowing. And Margaery tugs off her dress and throws it on his head.

**XXX**

The ball is two days later, and the dresses for Margaery and Caroline are delivered that morning. Helen, who is not attending, will be staying with Philip and Anne. But she is happy to help ''Stepmama'' and Caroline get dressed, and admires the dresses extensively.

''Oh, Caroline. You will look like a fairy!'' Helen says, stroking the lovely pale blue ball-dress, trimmed in cream tulle puffs at the sleeves and a rose silk underskirt edged in cream tulle puffing, the bodice fitted to Caroline's body perfectly. Caroline's soft, fine brown hair is gathered back with pale blue ribbon hair ornaments and falls to her elbows in long ringlets, and there is a slim gold chain, from which hangs a single pearl, around her neck.

''It should be a sapphire.'' says Margaery, ever the fashionable young lady. ''It matches your dress.''

''But a pearl is delicate, like the fabric of my dress.'' Caroline replies, tugging on elbow-length pale blue gloves. ''Such a pretty hair-comb, Stepmama! Was it a wedding present?''

''Yes, dear. My mother gave it to me.'' Margaery comes over and ties Caroline's sash into a neat bow, and Helen admires the apple-green silk of Margaery's dress.

''How lovely, Stepmama! And the flounces are so clever!'' Helen says, referring to the alternating flounced tiers of apple-green and eggshell-white white silk that covers the crinolined, full skirt of Margaery's ball-dress. Her hair is swept up and braided and coiled at the back of her head with an emerald and gold bead-set hair-comb, the style crafted by Helen's own skillful hands.

When Margaery finishes, she pulls on an emerald bracelet, not bothering with gloves. However, she does wear a corset, which she only wears for balls. Phineas himself merely wears a black swallowtail coat and white waistcoat and shirt and black trousers, his hair combed neatly.

Before they leave for Casterly Rock, Philip's carriage drops by to pick up Helen, who waves good-bye, and they climb into their own carriage, and the driver sets forth for the Lannister estate.

**XXX**

The Lannister estate is bustling, and Caroline is excited and nervous at the same time. Her first ball of the season. Her first ball attended with her stepmama. At least her father is here with her, and he pats her gloved hand as she sits besides him in the carriage.

''Don't be afraid, daughter.'' he whispers in her ear, and she nods. The coachman stops, and Father helps her and Stepmama down, and escorts them inside. The ballroom is lovely, Caroline thinks. She has been to a ballroom once, when Father brought Jenny Lind for a tour and he had to go away for a while. But she is older now, and it is an entirely different experience.

The ladies wear all these beautiful gowns;silk, satin, velvet, taffeta, adorned with flounces, and bows and pleats and puffings. Oh, and their hair! So elaborate and elegant, braids and curls and ringlets woven and crowned with ribbons and pearls and lace caps.

Sansa Stark comes over, and greets Margaery happily, admiring her dress, and Caroline's too.

Caroline, instantly reminded of her manners, smiles politely and compliments Lady Lannister on her dress, Lannister red and gold, silk and satin, with an off-shoulder, winged neck leading down to short silk sleeves through which are drawn puffs of golden satin. Personally, she thinks that although Lady Stark looks nice in the dress, the red parts of the dress would be better off blue. Blue would bring out Lady Lannister's lovely eyes, while red clashes with her hair.

Sansa tugs Margaery off to the refreshment table, and they share a bit of gossip over the latest fashions,catch up on family matters, and talk about the dresses they like the best. ''Look how pretty my dear niece Myrcella looks. So charming in gold silk taffeta, don't you think, with the skirt looped up to show green silk flounces?''

''Oh, yes. Where's your charming sister-in-law?'' Margaery asks, and Sansa sighs dramatically, gesturing at the right of the ballroom, where Cersei Baratheon stands, clad in resplendent ruby-colored brocade with a low neck and her golden hair up, with a ruby and gold necklace around her neck, her features sharp. Her husband Robert Baratheon stands beside her, as do her two sons, Joffrey-the dreadful one-and sweet Tommen, barely a two years younger then her and Caroline. ''Remind me not to talk to her.'' Margaery tells Sansa, and Sansa nods.

Phineas stands next to his wife just as the dancing begins, and asks her to dance, much to her delight. And they dance, to the slow strains of a waltz by Johann Strauss Sr, the Loreley Rhinklange. Her husband is a very good dancer, Margaery thinks, but she supposes that he could have a tad more grace. Grandmama says that when you dance, you must have grace.

Caroline watches as her father and stepmama dance together, and she admires the way they sweep gracefully across the floor. Stepping closer to the refreshment table, she smiles shyly at another girl there, and tries a glass of champagne.

It is bubbly and light, and makes Caroline want to giggle. Luckily, she composes herself, and the girl steps closer to her.

''Hello. You must be Caroline Barnum. Aunt Sansa told me you would be at the ball.'' she greets Caroline, and Caroline instantly thinks of her sister when the girl smiles. ''I'm Myrcella Baratheon. Soon to be married to Aunt Sansa's brother Robb Stark.''

''But if Sansa's your aunt, how can you marry her brother?'' Caroline questions curiously.

''She's my aunt by marriage. She and Uncle Tyrion don't have any children yet, so she's not officially my aunt by blood, and I'm allowed to marry her brother. Robb is very charming, really.'' Myrcella explains, glancing towards a dark-haired young man who is chatting with Sansa.

How sweet, Caroline thinks. Mr Stark and Miss Baratheon were, if you were to put them together, look very much like her father and her mama.

''Have you been asked to dance yet?'' Myrcella interrupts Caroline's thoughts. ''If you reach the age of 20 or 21 without finding a husband, you'll be termed a wallfower. You have heard the term, haven't you?''

''I've heard the term before.'' Caroline nods. She shakes her head right afterwards. ''No, I haven't been asked to dance.''

''Well, I'm sure someone will. During my first season, it took time for men to ask me to dance.'' She giggles. ''I think they were scared of my mother!'' Myrcella confides. She lifts her ivory handled fan to cover her face, perhaps so her mother will not see. Caroline's father finishes dancing with her stepmama, and comes over to her.

''No one's asked my daughter to dance yet?'' his eyes twinkle as he smiles at her.

''No. Miss Baratheon says it will take time.''

Her father bows playfully and holds out his hand. ''Then may I be the first to ask you to dance? You must put your ballet training to good use.'' Caroline chuckles and nods her head. ''Really, father!'' he escorts her out to the dance floor, and they dance a polka that has Caroline laughing as she tries to keep up with him.

''Father, slow down!'' she cries in mirth.

''Dreadfully sorry, Caroline, daughter.'' Phineas responds lightly. ''Dreadfully sorry.''

After they finish, Stepmama's friend Sansa comes over to her to introduce her to Mr Stark, Myrcella's fiancee, and Caroline can see why Myrcella fell in love with him. He is a very nice boy, indeed.

Cersei Lannister and her son Joffrey avoid the Barnum family, but young Tommen and Myrcella delightedly chat with Caroline, and Tommen even goes up to Phineas and asks about the circus. Then there is Jaime Lannister, who is married to Lady Alaesella Icemark, who comes from Sweden.

Such a sweet, lovely woman.

Whilst everyone is occupied, Phineas tugs Margaery out onto the balcony, and they admire the view.

''How lovely it is.'' Margaery says, sighing. ''I could stare at the sky forever, the stars, the moon. All of it.'' Phineas's arm comes to wrap around her shoulders, and she leans into his shoulder.

''You even smell like roses.'' Phineas chuckles above her.

''And you smell like peanuts.' She replies, and he kisses the top of her head. ''Charity would have liked you. Such a pity she never got to meet you.''

Margaery turns to face him. ''Do you think so?''

''I know so.'' he says, and kisses her. Now this is a real kiss, she thinks happily as she kisses him back and entwines her hands around his neck. They do not go farther then that, for fear of being caught, but it is enough for now.

**XXX**

When they return, Joffrey asks Margaery to dance, and she wants to refuse, but finally accepts, and they begin to dance a waltz, much to Margaery's horror.

_Could_ _it not have been a reel? _she thinks. That would have been over soon, at least. They dance, and after a time, Joffrey remarks, ''Such a pity we were not married. I would have gotten you with child already.''

''I do not care if I do not have children.'' Margaery replies. ''Caroline and Helen, my stepdaughters, are wonderful girls, and I love them very much. I know I cannot replace their mother, but we can be friends, and I am glad of that.''

Joffrey scoffs. ''Compared to us, they are but peasants. You and I are nobility. They can never measure up to us, no matter how hard they try.''

Margaery feels as though she might slap him. ''How dare you.'' she mutters. ''That is how Americans are. They want to work hard to give their families a better life. Caroline will be a ballerina, a famous one. I've written a letter to Daenerys Targaryen, and asked her to get Caroline a place at the school she teaches in. Caroline will be a great American ballerina, just you wait and see, Lord Baratheon.'' she retorts, and steps away from the dance floor before the dance is over, even though she knows people will see.

Joffrey insists on following her, though, and when he grabs her hand to drag her back to the dance floor, she lifts her other hand and slaps him so hard he staggers back and others turn to look.

''Leave me alone!'' she exclaims, and Phineas looks about ready to punch Joffrey in the face himself, if not for Caroline holding his arm.

Sansa and Jaime hurry over, Cersei behind them. ''What happened?'' Sansa asks, her husband appearing at her side.

''He tried to force me to finish the dance with him in a very forceful manner.'' Margaery explains. ''So I slapped him.''

Tyrion, Jaime, and Sansa look about ready to laugh; Cersei looks furious. Finally Jaime turns to his sister and says,''Perhaps you should remove Joffrey from the premises before he attacks any more married ladies.''

Cersei growls something at him, grabs her son's arm, and marches off.

''Are you alright?'' Sansa questions.

''I'm fine.'' Margaery assures her. ''You should thank my stepdaughter Caroline here, or it might have become a wrestling match between Joffrey and my husband.'' she gestures to her stepdaughter, who smiles.

**XXX**

When it is time for the guests to leave, Sansa bids Margaery good-bye, and Myrcella tells Caroline the same.

They get into the carriage, and Margaery realizes she ought to tell Caroline the news. She knows Caroline will be happy, to study at such a prestigious place as the ballet of the Opera House, and that is why she did it, posted the letter this morning.

''Caroline,'' she begins, and Caroline turns to look.

''Yes?''

''I've sent a message to my friend Miss Targaryen.''

Caroline sits up straighter. ''About what? Is she going to come visit?''

''Actually, you're going to France as soon as she finds you a spot in the Paris Opera Ballet.'' Margaery says, smiling. Caroline gasps in shocked delight, squeals, and hugs Margaery.

''Oh, stepmama! Thank you, thank you!''

'''When did you find time to send the letter?'' Phineas asks.

''I mailed it this morning.'' Margaery says. ''Caroline has talent, that much I've seen. And such talent deserves a chance in the spotlight.''

Sitting there in the carriage, between her Papa and her stepmama, Caroline feels like the happiest girl in the world.

They get home at the same time as Helen, who bids the Carlyles good-night before pulling Caroline aside and asking her about the ball.

''It was wonderful!'' Caroline exclaims. ''Especially the part where Stepmama hit that horrid boy in the face!''

''Oh!'' Helen laughs. ''Did you dance?''

Caroline nods, and says that she danced with their father. ''So did Stepmama. She really is very nice.'' she adds.

''I cannot wait till I'm two years older and I can attend balls.'' Helen sighs dreamily, imagining what the ball must have been like.

''I still cannot believe you hit Lord Baratheon!'' Phineas laughs, sitting down on his bed to pull off his shoes.

Margaery giggles, pulls off her bracelet, and Phineas stands up to help her with her corset. ''These things are so dreadfully annoying.'' Margaery sighs. He unties the bow at the bottom, and pulls the laces through easily, until the back of the corset is undone.

Then he pulls the comb from her hair, and undoes her hair himself, running his fingers through her curls.

''Grandmama says we ought to have a child.'' Margaery says, unfastening the corset at the front. It comes off, and she puts it on the table. Phineas wraps his arms around her waist, presses a kiss to the tip of her ear. ''Well, perhaps we should start.'' he murmurs, one hand running over a cloth-covered breast.

Margaery gasps delightedly at the touch and presses her body closer to his chest. She turns her head, looks up at him. ''Well, won't you take me to bed, husband?'' she asks softly, and he obliges.

Once they are on the bed, he over her, Margaery hesitantly asks, ''Could we try something different?''

''Like what?''

''Perhaps I could, um, get on top of you?''

Phineas laughs, and flips her over so she sits on top of him. ''It's like sitting on a horse.'' she says, and tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. ''My cousin Elinor, she says a woman is more likely to lose her virginity riding a horse then under a man.''

''I'd like to meet more of your family.''

''Perhaps we could have dinner with them, if you like.'' Margaery says. She looks down at her husband, and pushes her hips against his. ''Is this right?''

Phineas nods, arches up into her, and she gasps. ''Oh! I guess it is.''

This is getting to be more enjoyable each night, Margaery thinks to herself, and she is happy to have such a good- ''Now you're acting like a scoundrel!''

''You asked!''


End file.
